Apocalypse: Saviour's Sorrow The Novel
by khoopakhoop
Summary: Everyone's favourite mk2/Re;Birth 2 controversial ending! Now "Novelised" for easy reading and lack of gameplay. This will be a great fun ride which may result in my sanity dropping and tears being shed.
1. The Prelude to the End

The four members of the ASIC have been defeated by the hands of Nepgear and the gang, but little did they know, their defeat would give rise to a greater power, stronger than any foe they have faced thus far.

This begins, The Apocalypse.

* * *

"The Deity of Sin has returned." Histoire said with a serious face.

"I'm so sorry... It's all because we unknowingly..." Nepgear apologised.

"Don't apologise for something you couldn't have known." Mina, Lowee's Oracle replied to the apology, "All we can do now is devise a new plan of attack."

"Whatever the plan the end goal is set-we must defeat the Deity of Sin." Kei, Lastation's Oracle said matter-of-factly.

"Straightforward, but true. Do we even stand a chance against her, if we struggled against the Four Felons?" Noire, the CPU of Lastation, added on.

"It's sad, but that's a good point. At the rate we've been going..." IF said, sweat dripping down her face.

"We need to learn more." Blanc, CPU of Lowee, said with a straight face.

There was a short silence which was soon broken by Neptune, "Oooh, I think is what you call a brain freeze... My noggin isn't knockin' out any good ideas!"

"Um..." Nepgear began as she thought about something.

"What's up? Think of a winner?" Neptune asked her sister, probably trying to coax out a reply.

"Well... Remember the rumours about that cursed sword the person in Lastation mentioned to us?" Gear brought up something that they heard about quite a long time ago while gathering the discs to help with the Deity of Sin.

"Hmmmmmmm... I think..." Compa said trying to remember.

"Didn't they say it was capable of defeating the Deity of Sin?" IF questioned.

"Yes, that's the one! What if we found that sword?" Nepgear suggested.

"Are you being serious right now?" IF retorted, "It was a rumour, Gear. Even if it were real, we have no actual leads."

"The story does feel like something a bored public would make for fun." Cave added.

"B-But, researching it is better than doing nothing at all, right?" Nepgear tried to hold her stand on the matter.

"It stinks of desperation, to me." Uni said in light of Nepgear's words.

"The likelihood of us winning is pretty pathetic right now, though." Noire told the group.

"The rumour does intrigue me. Allow me to do some research about it on my own." Chika told her plan of action to everyone.

"We're short on time, so we may as well assist with the accumulation of pertinent data." Kei said in a business like tone.

"We'll contact you once we learn anything of substance." Histoire told Nepgear and gang.

"Let's get our snoopin' and and sleuthin' on, kiddies!" Neptune optimistically said.

"I'm really grateful." Nepgear adds on to her sister's comment, she's glad that everyone's in on the idea for now.

But it won't be long before everyone leaves the cause.

* * *

"You're actually going to seek out that sword, are you?" The Mysterious Man says to Nepgear, they were in Planeptune, asking around for anyone who knew any info about the damned thing.

"Do you know anything more about it?" Nepgear asked, the man probably has a little knowledge about the sword, though not much, it still provides a small lead on where it is.

"Do I? I wonder... Tell me this, child. Are you truly prepared?" The man questioned Nepgear.

"Prepared? For what?" Uni wasn't really sure of what he meant by "Prepared". It could mean anything.

"Is it kept someplace dangerous, nyu?" Broccoli asked the man.

"Hmm... I've never heard of it being used, so maybe it's all right to tell you what I know..." The Mysterious Man pondered about telling the info to this mass group of girls made up of the CPUs, CPU Candidates, and some Humans. "The sword is said to be kept sealed away deep beneath Gathering Castle." He told the group.

"Thanks, oh wrinkled one!" Neptune said to the Mysterious Man. "Let's get our roll on!" Neptune said cheerfully.

"Hey, gramps. If you knew where it was this whole time, why didn't you take it yourself?" Noire asked the Man.

"I am neither strong nor young enough to attempt to retrieve the sword." He said, "Plus, if my research is accurate, the blade would be of no use in the hands of a mortal like me." He added on.

"My, you make it sound as though there is some cryptic truth about this weapon we've yet to learn." Vert expressed her concern over the crypticness of the description of the weapon.

"Just who are you, anyway?" Blanc asked the man.

"Haw, haw... I am but an old man who relishes in telling old tales, nothing more..." He replied, further adding to the enigmatic descriptions he told to the group.

Soon they made their way to the location of the sword.

Deep beneath Gathering Castle.

* * *

"So... Do you think this is it?" Nepgear said, looking at what seems to be a rusting, discoloured sword sitting in the room.

"Lame. Colour me disappointiwinkle. It's rusty and cobwebby and probably has tiny insect poo on it." Neptune commented on the condition of the "cursed sword".

"Yeah. Hard to believe it's supposed to stop the Deity of Sin." Noire commented.

"But, maybe if we polish it and give it a good sharpening, it'll turn out into a really neat sword." Nepgear says optimistically.

"I am not one to enjoy grasping at straws..." Vert says.

"Still, let's try cleaning it a bit. If it's still junk, then we can try to come up with a new plan. Okay?" Nepgear says as she picks up the sword.

They made their way back to Planeptune.

* * *

*Shine, Sparkle* The sword shone in the light after a good ol' polish.

"There. Nice and shiny and pretty." Nepgear said as she finished up the polishing and sharpening.

"You done good, Nep Jr." Neptune said to Nepgear. "But it still looks like any old sword you can buy at a store."

"I don't sense any special powers coming from it, either." Blanc continued.

"Like I said, it was just a rumour." IF said to try and solidify her earlier point.

"Aww... Did I just waste everyone's time...?" Nepgear said sullenly before being interrupted by her phone.

"Oh, phone call! It's Histoire. Hello, this is Nepgear." She said as she answered the call.

"Nepgear! Is it true that you have obtained the sword?" Histoire's frantic voice was heard over the phone.

"Y-Yes, but it doesn't seem to be anything special..." Nepgear replied.

"You still have not used it, have you? Is everyone still all right?" Histoire was starting to panic.

"Yes, we're okay... All I did was give it a little elbow grease and cleaned it up..." Nepgear said, unsure of Histoire's tone of voice.

"I see. Thank goodness. I contacted you in time, then." Histoire heaved a sigh of relief as she heard those words.

"Um, in time? What's wrong? I've never heard you in such a panic before." Nepgear asked, growing concerned over Histoire's unusual motions over the phone.

"I will explain in time. For now, return with the others to our Basilicom." Histoire issued instructions to Nepgear. "And no matter what, use the utmost care when handling that weapon."

"Um... Okay..." Nepgear said, still unsure of the cause of distress in the Oracle.

They made break for the Basilicom.

* * *

"We're back, Histoire." Nepgear said as she arrived.

"It took you long enough!" Histoire sternly said to Nepgear.

The other three Oracles were around but they were silent, their faces held a serious look.

"U-Um, why does everyone have such serious looks on their faces?" Nepgear asked.

"We found some shocking information relating to that sword..." Mina said sternly.

"If what we learned is accurate, that sword really might be able to defeat the Deity of Sin." Chika added.

"Really? This typical, run-of-the-mill sword?" Noire expressed a bit of shock at how the plain looking sword could possibly best an enemy that strong.

"Are you pulling our leggings? We can win with this thing?" Neptune asked with uncertainty.

"Yes. That is, if you actually decide to use it." Kei replied.

"Is there some issue preventing us from using it?" Vert asked, if this sword could defeat the Deity of Sin, it would be worth listening to the setback that is preventing the usage of the sword.

"As it is now, it has no power. But under a certain condition, that can change." Histoire replied to Vert.

"Condition?" Rom asked.

"You're being so mean, teasing us like this... Just say it, jeez!" Ram's pushing Histoire to say it despite her reluctance to do so.

Histoire fell silent, it was as she was debating with herself whether to tell the group or not.

She then spoke, "The sword must slay one of CPU lineage. For each kill, it will grow in power."

"What?" Uni exclaimed, seemingly angered and shocked at the condition to power the sword.

"Kill... CPUs?" Blanc said with a hint of fear in her words.

"There are eight of you gathered here of CPU lineage. If one kills the other seven, then the sword will..." Kei started to explain the process before being shut down by Nepgear.

"S-Stop it!" She cried.

"This has to be some kind of joke! There's no way we'd resort to killing each other off!" Uni angrily shouted.

"We aren't asking you to use it. But should you choose to, it would increase your odds of success greatly." Kei pointed out. "You spent precious time searching for that sword while the world suffers the effects of the Deity of Sin's return." She added on.

"Shut up already! Are you telling the CPUs and CPU Candidates to kill each other!?" IF shouted.

"All I've stated are facts. I have no right to tell anyone more than that. This is their decision." Kei retorted.

"The answer is simple, then." Uni says slightly calmed down.

"Yeah. We don't need some stupid evil sword to win!" Ram confidently said.

"i-I don't want to see anyone die..." Rom spoke.

" _The life of someone of CPU lineage..._ " Nepgear thought to herself. " _Uni, Rom, Ram... Neptune, Noire, Vert, Blanc... No! I could never, ever use it..._ "

" _But... but if we do... We can best the Deity of Sin... We could save Gamindustri..._ " Nepgear immediately thought of the other side, both options pushed weights on her, it was a huge dilemma being torn between two sides of the scale.

"Hey, Nepgear!" Uni shouted to her, noticing that her attention wasn't in the "discussion".

"Y-Yes!?" Nepgear replied back, snapping away from her soon-to-be messed up train of thought.

"You looked lost in thought. Don't tell me you were actually mulling it over..." Uni started questioning her.

"N-N-No... No, of course not..." Nepgear denied.

"This is nothing to decide on a whim. Please think on it overnight." Histoire said with a serious voice and tone, the situation and the severity of it was grave so rash decisions were to be overruled.

"And Nepgear, know that regardless of your decision, I will always be on your side." Histoire reassured Nepgear.

"I... I know..." Nepgear replied back.

* * *

The next day came round.

"Have you come to a decision?" Histoire asked Nepgear.

"I have." Came the reply.

"And what is it?" Mina asked, anticipating the next reply.

"I... Can't take anybody's life." Nepgear replied. "And even if I offered my own life. I believe that nobody else here would be willing to take it, either."

"Nep Jr...! You're so awesome! I knew you'd say something epic!" Neptune threw a compliment at Nepgear the way she knew how.

"It's the only obvious decision." Uni added.

"Why did we have to wait overnight? I totally couldn't sleep!" Ram exclaimed.

"Although, one must admit that it would be a rather lucrative option for whoever would remain." Vert said.

"I don't think I have any right to talk about whether or not it's right to take someone's life." Blanc added.

"However, without this sword, your odds of victory are near zero. What do you think about that?" Kei asked Nepgear, she must have a backup plan if she does not intend to use the sword.

"I told Nepgear I would be on her side, but to send you all into a losing battle without hope is..." Histoire says with growing concern.

"Um, I thought about that too..." Nepgear said with a slight sullen look. "What if we gather all the Shares throughout Gamindustri and focus them in one nation?" She proposed.

"All of the world's Shares?" Histoire said in a questioning tone, she wanted to verify what she just heard because the proposal sounded a bit too... Much...

"Do you know what you're saying!?" Noire exclaimed, the gathering of Shares from around the world and putting them in a single nation, would have drastic effects on the other Nations and their CPUs.

"If we moved everyone's Shares to Planeptune, then my sister and I could fight the Deity of Sin alone." Nepgear tried to reason her proposal to everyone.

"J-Just hold on a minute. That does sound like a decent enough plan, however..." Mina said, trying to slow the discussion down a bit, everything's going everywhere, it's a somewhat decent plan since both the CPUs of the nation which has gathered all the Shares would be somewhat "Supercharged", but...

"What of our nations? Losing our Shares would destroy our economies and weaken the CPUs beyond recovery!" Chika posed a serious question. This "Supercharge a nation's CPUs to defeat the DoS(Deity of Sin)" plan has that big of a drawback.

"Maybe, but everyone would still be alive in the end, right?" Nepgear said, still trying to reason with everyone else.

"I suppose that is true, but..." Histoire has a sour look on her face, sure everyone else would live, but the cons outweigh the pros.

"I can't tell if this is the ignorance of youth or an attempt to be didactic. Either way, I can't condone this idea." Kei said, losing Shares would mean the various businesses in the other nations would be hit catastrophically, the CPUs would also be too weak to defend from any opposing external threats.

This would seem like the end of the other three nations if one were to go Share farming.

"I cannot allow it, either." Mina dismissed the idea.

"Same. If this is your great idea, why not move all the Shares into my darling Vert's Leanbox?" Chika dismissed it as well. "There's no reason it has to be Planeptune."

"Please... Can't we please consider this?" Nepgear was starting to lose support and quickly.

"Sorry. I can't sign a death warrant a for my nation and my people." Noire expressed regret on not being able to help, but she can't just leave her nation and people to die.

"Be forewarned that if you seek this path, you leave us no choice but to oppose you." Vert told Nepgear.

"If you threaten Lowee's Shares and its people, then Planeptune is my enemy." Blanc was slowly losing her cool from the proposed plan.

"I knew you were a bully!" "Miss Nepgear..." Both Ram and Rom said respectively.

"Why can't you understand...? This isn't the time to argue about nations and power..." Nepgear was seriously trying to push her idea forward now.

"We'll never agree on this. Bye." Uni said coldly to Nepgear.

"Wait! Don't go...!" Nepgear cried out to the people slowly exiting the Basilicom.

It was fruitless, they were probably never coming back.

"So, uh, Nep Jr... Um... Buck up, kiddo?" Neptune tried to console her sister, left brokenhearted, her friends were gone.

"Why won't they listen to me? I just don't want anyone to use this sword..." A hint of frustration and sadness hit Nepgear.

"It is what it is. If I were in their positions, I wouldn't want to sacrifice my entire nation, either." IF agreeing to the other CPUs and the Oracles reasoning.

"Do we have to fight our friends?" Compa asked clearly not wishing to fight their former allies.

"It'll be inevitable if you try to take their Shares, nyu." Broccoli replied to Compa.

"So... I don't get what any of you are talking about, but is this our only option or what?" Red asked, she didn't catch anything from the long discussion and she isn't the brightest either, more brawn over brain.

"It's all I could think of, yes... Nobody would die, which is what I thought we wanted to avoid..." Nepgear was clearly distraught at the matter.

5pb stood there silent.

"Oh. That's right, you're from Leanbox originally. Are you going to go back there now?" IF asked the pop idol of what she wanted to do now, since this charade seems to be falling apart.

"N-No... i came this far believing in myself, so I have faith this is the right choice. I'm staying here." Came her reply.

"Don't blame us if you end up regretting it later." IF forewarned the idol, her choice in staying here is admirable, but if she choose poorly, it's bad news for her life.

"I don't think my returning to Leanbox would change anything..." 5pb was almost certain about this fact.

"All right. Now, get it together, everyone. If we're doing this, we're gonna go all the way." IF told the remainder of the group that hadn't left, this is the path of no return, if they want to walk down this path, they have to go full force.

"Yep, things are gonna be just fine. You've got Nep-Nep on your side, and the hero never loses right!?" Neptune chirpily boasts.

But all Nepgear could muster from that was just a simple "Right...".

* * *

And so the Share collecting began, first in Planeptune, it was necessary to gather and solidify Shares in home base first, if they can't do that then they can't g on and gather Shares from the other Nations.

"Looks like we're gathered a good amount of Shares in this area." IF said confidently.

"How do you feel, Nep-Nep? Ge-Ge?" Compa asked Neptune and Nepgear.

"Uhhh, I think my muscles are getting bigger, but I dunno..." Neptune replied in a very unsure manner.

"Yeah... I don't think this is anywhere near enough..." Nepgear commented, it seems that the amount they gathered was not significant enough to provide a power boost for the two.

"If we take any more time, the Deity of Sin is going to be at full strength, nyu." Time is ticking and they don't have much of it, they have to get enough Shares for the two Planeptune CPUs to be able to fight the Deity of Sin on fair ground.

"This isn't going to work, is it? And after all I had everyone go through..." Nepgear was starting to doubt herself and the plan she concocted.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. If you sing too many sad songs, you'll actually get depressed." 5pb tried to comfort Nepgear a bit, these moments when she doubts herself may lead to inefficiencies.

"I see..." Nepgear replied to 5pb, everyone has sullen looks on their faces, they know time is running out.

" _I've been hanging onto this sword ever since... I mean, just in case worse comes to worst..._ " Nepgear began thinking to herself, " _N-No! What am I thinking? I'll never use this!_ " She tried to steer her mind towards using the Sword, but that thought still lingers in her head.

With that ends their Share collection in Planeptune, next stop...

Lastation.


	2. To Lastation and Farewell

"Good grief. They're having a field day out there, taking a hefty chunk of our Shares away." Kei commented on the sudden decrease in Share figures and the situation outside.

"Yeah." Noire agreed to the words of her Oracle, Nepgear and gang were already sapping Shares away from Lastation and that meant they were enemies.

"Noire, what are we going to do? Just stand by and watch...?" Uni asked her sister.

"Of course not. If we don't take any action, Lastation as we know it will be destroyed." Noire said in reply.

"Then, we have to...!" was all Uni could say before being cut off by Noire.

"Yeah, but can you do it? Can you fight Nepgear? She's your friend right?" Noire asked Uni if she's certain of her decision.

"W-Well, yeah, but... Nepgear started it, so..." Uni's reason had a hint of reluctance in them, sure Nepgear was her friend, but she started this "Focus everyone's Shares into Planeptune so Neptune and I can fight the Deity of Sin" plan.

"I'm asking if you're prepared to do what must be done. Shares aren't enough to stop the Deity of Sin." Noire said to her sister, "Win or lose... We need to make sure we're ready... I have no idea what's going to happen." The stakes were high for the two of them, especially Noire, being the first target of Nepgear and co. right after Planeptune.

It's either they stop them now, here in Lastation, or risk losing their nation.

"Huh...?" Uni was unsure of what she heard from Noire.

"Noire... You can't mean..." Kei also expressed her words of concern.

"Enough. As Lastation's CPU, I won't allow them to take any more of our Shares. I'll stop them." Noire proclaimed to the other two.

"L-Let me come, too!" Uni said after her sister.

Kei looked on as Noire and Uni walk away and towards the door, she heaved a long, heavy sigh. "I thought I was prepared for the decision before, but now..." Kei said as she stood in the middle of the Basilicom.

* * *

"That's all of Lastation's Shares, more or less." IF said as they gathered up the last bits of their Share collection.

"Yes, but... It's not enough..." Nepgear comments.

"I feel like I gained maybe the strength of a poodle... Basically, we need tons more Shares." Neptune says.

"But if we take any more from Lastation, the nation will..." Compa expressed her concern for the slowly decreasing amount of Shares in Lastation.

"If you're worried, then stop." A voice came out from nowhere.

The girls turn towards the presumed location of the voice in question, it was Noire.

"Oh, Noire." Neptune said towards the opposing CPU.

"And Uni..." Nepgear said towards her friend who was standing beside Noire.

"Those are Lastation's Shares. Give them back." Uni demanded from the group.

"I hate to ask, but what if we refuse?" IF was firm in her conviction right now.

"I'll be the one to ask questions. What were you planning to do once we showed up to stop you?" Noire quickly gained back the dominance by asking another question.

"Pretty sure your answer and mine are the same." Noire heaved a sigh.

"Use force to stop you then. I mean, I wish there was a more peaceful solution, but..." IF gave the reply both sides wanted to hear.

"Uni... I don't want to fight you..." Nepgear said towards Uni.

"I'm Lastation's CPU Candidate. There's no way I can let you walk away with all our Shares." Uni replied.

"But..." Nepgear's resolve was wavering.

"What makes you think you can save Gamindustri with a resolve that flimsy?" Uni questioned. "Actually, don't bother answering. I'm taking back the Shares, and then I'll save Gamindustri instead."

"No... You can't! I'm the one who's going to do this!" Nepgear's up on her feet and reaffirming her stand.

"I don't got no beef with you, Noire, but I guess we gotta do what we gotta do, or whatever." Neptune looked at Noire sullenly, she doesn't wanna fight her but...

It was already a requirement for getting out of there alive.

"If nothing else, I'm happy this finally gives us the chance to find out which of us is stronger." Noire was starting to treat it like a competition.

"Okay, no hard feelings, then. Winner snakes all!" If Noire was treating it like a competition then there was no reason to hold back.

"I won't throw any punches." Nepgear was ready, there ain't no holding back now.

"And neither will I!" Uni roared back at Nepgear, all sides are pumped, either the Planeptune sisters win and continue taking Shares or theLastation duo stops them here and now.

* * *

A fierce battle raged between the four*, both sides were hit heavy but in the end, the Planeptune sisters won.

"That's it... We've lost..." Noire, weakened, said as she stuck her sword in the ground and fell to one knee. Uni also fell to her knee, each of them drew heavy breaths, all exhausted from the battle they waged.

"Hmph. It's not like this would've happened if we didn't lose all our Shares or anything..." Uni said, trying hard to put up a strong front.

"I'm so sorry Uni." Nepgear apologised, but is it really too late now to say sorry?

"So, we're cool, right? We can keep your Shares?" Neptune asked the fallen CPUs.

"No, I can't let them happen!" Noire retaliated.

"H-Hey, c'mon, no take-backsies!" Neptune certainly wasn't happy seeing how Noire retracted her words.

"You should know by now that taking everyone's Shares won't give you nearly enough power to win." Noire said as she slowly stood up and regained her composure.

" W-Well..." Nepgear's conviction has been shaken quite a few times since her proposal of the idea.

"It's literally the last thing I want to say to you, but..." Uni began, "Nepgear, you're stronger than me. You have a better chance at defeating the Deity of Sin." She reluctantly admits.

"Chance...? What do you...?" Nepgear asked, confused.

"You're still holding onto that sword, so use it. Take our lives. Use it to stop the Deity of Sin." Noire's words and resolution were set, a sacrifice must be made.

"N-Noire!" Neptune gasped in shock at Noire's words.

"Wh-What are you saying!? I couldn't possibly...!" Nepgear was clearly shaken by those words, she was, after all, holding onto the sword they retrieved from deep within LAN Castle.

"Oh, so you were carrying it around just to strap some extra dead weight on your belt, is that it?" Noire shot back at Nepgear.

"Um... But, I..." Nepgear was unable to talk back.

"Admit it. You've kept it with you because deep within your heart, you know it's still a viable option." Noire's words are leaving a strong impact on the Planeptune sisters. "I'm not saying it's wrong. It's actually the only option I could come up with, too." It would seem that everyone else was already betting on the sword being used seeing as the options they were given were limited.

"But wait... You've got it all wrong. I was just making sure that nobody else would be able to use it..." Nepgear tried to state her reasoning for carrying the sword around but...

"Are you still making excuses!?" Uni shouted at Nepgear, frustrated at her reasons.

"If you don't have the guts, then I'll do it myself! Give me the sword, now!" Noire demanded as she walked over and started fighting with Nepgear over the sword.

"N-No! Stop... Stay back!" Nepgear resisted as Noire fought over the sword.

"That's it right there, isn't it? Hand it over!" Noire now seriously trying to get her hands on the accursed thing.

"Stop it Noire! If we kill each other, then we've already lost! Don't you see that?" Neptune shouted to Noire in an effort to stop her.

"But if we don't, then Gamindustri... Everyone in the world will die! Enough talking! Give it to me!" Noire shouted she was clearly sold on the idea now, a sacrifice must be made.

"No, you mustn't...! This sword is...!" Nepgear was really struggling to keep the sword away from Noire's hands.

Eventually, Noire slowed down. "Don't...you dare let it go..." She said to Nepgear.

"Huh?" Was all she could say in response.

All that struggling to keep it away from Noire was futile in the end.

For she had plunged the blade through her abdomen.

"Khhhh..." Noire groaned as blood poured out through the wound.

"N-Noire... Did you just stab yourself with it!?" Nepgear asked, astonished and shocked by what just happened in front of her eyes.

"Noire!?" "Noire!" Both Neptune and Uni cried out her name.

"Stop, making me do everything..." Noire said weakly, "But... I'm sorry that you...have to go through this..." Noire expressed her regrets as blood trickled out her mouth.

"N-No, Noire!" Nepgear was now starting to freak out, Noire has impaled herself using the 'cursed' sword and is now spitting out a dying character's dialogue.

"Blanc and Vert...probably have the same idea in mind... Someone needs to use this sword, after all..." Noire said as blood dripped on the ground.

"So...don't worry... Everything we do... We do for Gamindustri..." Noire muttered her last words as she slowly faded away, tears that were wept from her eyes continued to fall until the very last of her existence faded.

"N-Noire! No...!" Neptune cried as the easily teased CPU and a close friend of hers, dissolved into nothingness.

"S-She's gone... I...killed Noire..." Nepgear was hit deep. But it was not over as Uni stepped up to her.

"Nepgear..." Uni said solemnly.

"Uni, I... I never planned to use this!" Nepgear was on the verge of crying.

"My sister did what she did of her own accord." Uni said, "I won't lose to her. It's my turn."

"Huh...?" Nepgear's world was getting shaken to it's core.

"But I won't do it for you like she did it. I won't kill myself." Uni said to Nepgear. "Do it, Nepgear. Kill me. Do it with your own two hands."

"No... I could never...!" Nepgear shook her head, she didn't want to kill the friend that she cherished so much.

"You're such a pathetic crybaby sometimes, you know that!?" Uni scolded Nepgear.

She was crying now, the guilt trip was coming to her.

"Hurry it up. Show me what you're made of" Uni beckoned Nepgear. "You'll save Gamindustri, right? Or are you going to waste my big sister's life?"

"I... I..."

"I don't like asking you to do it, but you're the only one I trust! Please, Nepgear. Please!" Uni was starting to get desperate.

"Ahhhhhhhh!" Nepgear screamed as she thrusts the sword through Uni.

As blood spilled once again Uni looked up and thanked Nepgear.

"Uni..." Nepgear was starting to cry lots.

"It's...all up to you now..." Uni said as she bled out.

"Uni... Uni, no...!" The tears won't stop flowing down Nepgear's face.

"S-Stop crying already... If that's the last face of yours I see, I'll never be able to rest in peace..." Uni says her last words before disappearing, smiling as she went.

When she was finally gone, Nepgear broke down into tears.

"Ahhhhhhhh!" Nepgear cried.

"Nepgear..." Neptune looked at her sister who began crying uncontrollably.

"Neptune, I... I..." Nepgear was really broke now, after killing two of the people she set out to rescue in the first place, it was really hammering on her soul.

"This is what they wanted, you know? You can't blame yourself..." Neptune tried to console her sister.

"Ahhhh..." Nepgear's sobs were slowing down now.

"No turning back now, I guess. For both their sakes, we gotta see this all the way through." Neptune, as sad as she was, was now set on making sure they get enough power in the sword to defeat the Deity of Sin.

"It'll be all right, Nepgear. You aren't alone. I'm always gonna be with you, okay?" Neptune said to her kid sister.

Nepgear looked up at her sister and began bawling her eyes out.

In this day, two CPUs have been slain.

* * *

They arrived at the Lastation Basilicom.

"Kei..." Nepgear said to the Oracle solemnly.

"If you are the ones here, then that can only mean Noire and Uni are no more." Kei straightforwardly replied.

"Yes... I..."

"I'm not looking for apologies, or for you to appear guilty." Kei said to Nepgear. "Using the sword was something I initially pushed for. In a sense, you could say I spurred this on."

"..."

"But still... What is this heavy sensation in the pit of my stomach?" Kei questioned herself, "It may sound selfish, but leave. I don't care to breathe the same air as you."

"I...I'm sorry. Yes, we'll go..." Nepgear reluctantly said.

"Good. There is nothing for you here." Kei said, "Plus, I've suddenly become rather busy. So busy that I've no time to empathise with your decisions."

"Pardon us..." Nepgear said as the Planeptune sisters left the Basilicom.

"Tch... It was so hard to remain composed..." Kei said to herself all alone in the Basilicom, "How unlike me... Wouldn't you agree, Noire? Uni?"

* * *

Legend: *- I excluded the makers in this fight and will do so for the others except for the Deity of Sin.


	3. In the Land of Snow, Blood, and Regrets

News of Noire's and Uni's death reached the ears of Lowee.

Mina came into Blanc's room in the Basilicom, "Lady Noire and Uni sacrificed their lives to the cause..." she told Blanc.

"I see..." came the reply.

Rom and Ram were there with her as well to hear the news. "Did...Miss Uni die...?" Rom asked Mina, on the verge of crying.

"Th-That stupid idiot, Nepgear! She promised she wasn't gonna use that dumb sword!" Ram angrily criticised Nepgear.

"Don't say such harsh things. I'm sure the Nep girls are suffering more than any of us," Blanc contested Ram.

"B-But..."

"Have Neptune and her sister come to Lowee?" Blanc asked Mina.

"Yes. It seems we are next on their list," Mina replied saddened.

"We should prepare ourselves, then. Either way, take the sword from them, or..." Blanc hesitated to continue her words, but she knew what would happen if they failed to take away that sword.

"Blanc..." Mina muttered the CPU's name in concern.

"You two. Do you understand what we need to do?" Blanc turned to ask her younger twin sisters.

"Uh-huh..." "Whatever. It's not like we'd ever lose to those dummies!" Rom and Ram replied respectively.

"Fair enough. But if the worst does come to pass... I'm really sorry, Mina." Blanc gives one last word of apology to Mina, as she sets off to face the threat that has come to her nation.

Mina, now all alone in the Basilicom, asked in the empty space which was just occupied by Blanc and her sisters. "Oh..." she sighed, "Why? Why must this happen...? Why do we need to fight...?"

Sadly, as of this point, fighting is the only path.

"You've come," Blanc said to the Planeptune group.

"Blanc... I was hoping we wouldn't have to meet like this," Neptune said to the CPU, with a reluctant smile.

"Rom... Ram..." Nepgear says to the twins apologetically.

"Hmph! You're gonna kill us with that stupid, ugly sword? I always knew you were a total jerk!" Ram scolded Nepgear harshly.

"Miss Nepgear..." Rom said in her timid voice.

"Yes. Maybe I am..." Nepgear says reluctantly to the duo. "But for the sake of Noire and Uni, who gave their lives to me, I can't turn back now..."

"I understand what happened. But don't think that means I won't try to stop you," Blanc says with her poker face, but she is ready to go at any moment.

"I guess we gotta fight, huh?" Neptune says hesitantly.

"It's the only way to come to a conclusion. Whoever wins will take control of the sword. Simple," Blanc nonchalantly says.

"I'm so sorry, Rom... Ram..." Nepgear apologised to the twins.

"Stop apologising to us. You haven't won yet!" Ram sternly tells Nepgear off.

"I don't like this... But I don't want Blanc or Ram to go away, either..." Rom says meekly.

"Neither do I, but...there's no other way left!" Nepgear's voice shook with desperation and reluctance.

* * *

And with that, the battle between the CPUs begun. Neptune was to deal with Blanc while Nepgear dealt with the twins, needless to say, taking down Blanc was harder than they thought. Blanc was especially tanky, and with defence buffs given by the twins, it was pretty hard to break Blanc's guard. So they changed plans, they were to deal with the twins first, then deal with Blanc, the twins magic attacks were a hassle to deal with due to the long range of magic. Not to mention being in HDD meant the Planeptune sisters were going to be hit harder than normal.

Soon, the twins were pretty beaten up, the Planeptune sisters felt a strong pang or remorse, much like the battle in Lastation. The twins may be out now, but now there's Blanc, still fighting strong. You could see the determination burning in her eyes, the determination to stop the Planeptune sisters. The three collide head on, a sword and a gunblade against a giant axe, sparks flew as their weapons clashed, there were no words to be said or exchanged in front of an enemy. A fire is burning deep in their hearts and it was filled with determination and willpower.

Blanc was surprisingly proficient with the axe, being able to parry most of the attacks that came her way, the three charged and clashed their weapons again, no one was willing to back out, now that they've come so far. The three CPUs jumped back, they were all visibly wounded and panting lethargically. This next attack would be the final one.

The three pulled off one last charge and it was the end.

* * *

"You've won," Blanc admitted defeat.

"Yeah. I guess we have," Neptune said solemnly.

"Then use the sword on me," Blanc suggested.

"Oh..." was all Nepgear could say.

"Same ol' Blanc as ever... Even at a time like this," Neptune kept her solemn expression.

"I prepared for this from the moment I left your Basilicom," Blanc said, prepared for her death.

"This might be the best option. My sisters don't need to go through the pain you two will," Blanc said with a smile.

"Blanc!" Ram cried out her sister's name.

"Don't go..." Rom said, on the verge of tears.

"Don't cry. You're going to be the new CPUs. It's time to start acting like it, okay?" Blanc told her sisters as she hugged the both of them.

"Blanc..." Nepgear says her name with a tinge of sadness.

"Hey, Nepgear. Let me have the sword. I should be the one to do it," Neptune suggested to her sister.

"Hurry, Neptune. The longer you make me wait, the more scared I'm going to get..." Blanc urged on Neptune.

"We'll stop the Deity of Sin. For you, for Noire, for Uni..." Neptune said to Blanc, tears forming around her eyes.

"I never thought I'd see the day when I'd leave the world in your hands... I'm counting on you," Blanc said, her eyes red and crying.

"I won't let you down. Haaaaaaaaaaaah!" Neptune screamed as she plunged the sword through Blanc.

Blood stained Blanc's white clothes, dying them in vivid red. She coughed up blood from her mouth, the ground now dotted with Blanc's blood. Everything seemed to be going in slow motion as Blanc's hat fell to the floor.

"Ghhhh...! That...didn't hurt too bad... See, it's okay..." Blanc held back the pain as she dissipated into nothingness.

"Blanc...!" Rom cried out to her dying sister.

"Stoppit, Rom! She told us to act like CPUs, so we gotta be strong like her!" Ram shouted at her twin, trying to cover up her sadness.

"O-Okay..." Rom replied.

"I'm sorry, Blanc. Yeah... Soon, I'll be..." Neptune mourned as tears flowed uncontrollably from her eyes.

"Huh...?" Nepgear asked as she looked at the twins, ready to give their lives to the cause.

Both Rom and Ram stayed silent for a while. Then, Ram opened her mouth, "What're you waiting for, an invitation?"

This shocked Nepgear and her reply came. "No... Are you serious?"

"L-Like you've given us any other choice, you jerk! You took our big sister away from us!" Ram vociferated at the Planeptune sisters.

"Ram...!" Rom called out to her twin.

"I know, I know... Hurry up, okay?" Ram said, close to breaking down and crying.

"O-Okay. I'm going to do it..." Nepgear tells the two glumly.

Ram gave a sniffle and Rom began sobbing. Nepgear hesitated on killing the two kids.

"I...I don't wanna die..." Rom said teary-eyed.

"Rom..." Nepgear said, about to cry as well.

"Don't say that, Rom! We promised, remember?" Ram, still trying to hide her fear, chided her twin.

"B-But... But it's...so scary...!" Rom said as she began to cry.

"S-Stop crying, jeez! If you do it, then I'm..." Ram stops mid-sentence and begins crying uncontrollably.

"Scary...! I'm so scared... I want Blanc... Wahhhhhh!" Rom cried out, asking for her older sister that'll never return to them.

"I...I don't wanna die, either... I'm so scared! Waaaaaaaah!" Ram finally broke down and cried as well.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry!" Nepgear's apologies were useless, what has already been done, has been done. Neptune has been quiet for a long time ever since she killed Blanc.

The twins hugged each other as they continued crying. They cried for so long, time passed at a snail's pace.

They soon stopped crying.

"Th-That wasn't very strong of us..." Ram said as she let out a final sniffle.

"But we're... okay now..." Rom assured the purple sisters.

"Do we really have to do this...?" Nepgear questioned the morals and actions behind this massacre of CPUs.

"Yeah! Do it! Hurry up, while we can bear it!" Ram shouted headstrong at Nepgear.

"We're CPUs, too... We wanna...save Gamindustri..." Rom says, still teary-eyed.

"I see... All right... I'm so sorry, you two!" Nepgear gives a final apology to the twins.

Nepgear stabs Ram first, followed by Rom. The two of them gave small yelps of pain. As fresh blood dripped from the blade again, Rom and Ram huddled together.

"Rom... We're together, so it's all gonna be okay, right...?" Ram said to her twin, more tears flowed down their face as blood came out from their mouths.

"Yeah... But Ram... Please hold my hand..." Rom asked Ram a simple request.

"Okay. I won't...let go..." Ram said, losing energy from the loss of blood.

"Thanks...sis..." Rom says her final words of gratitude to Ram as the two of them faded away together, never to be seen from, or heard from, again.

"No... No...!" Nepgear cried, she had just murdered two little children following their sister.

"Nepgear..." Neptune said grimly.

"Rom and Ram...are gone..." Nepgear began crying at the loss of the young CPUs. "Why? Why does it have to hurt so much?" She asked as she continued sobbing.

"Come on, you're a tough girl. You gotta be strong for them," Neptune hugs Nepgear in an attempt to console her.

"But I'm not strong... I'm not..!" Nepgear cried on her sister's shoulder.

"You have to be! If not, then..." Neptune was also deeply saddened by what they had to do, the two sisters embraced each other for comfort amidst the empty road.

* * *

This is what one has to sacrifice, to save the many, one or more has to be sacrificed, no one can save everyone.

This is what it means to be a superhero, a hero of justice.


	4. The Death of Another Before the Last

Vert looked out the window, the presence of the Lowee goddesses had just faded, she looked towards Chika, her Oracle.

"And then there were three."

Chika knew what this meant, Vert, her beloved 'sister', is next on the line. She agreed with a sour expression.

Vert closed her eyes and sighed. "I would not have expected Neptune and her sister to last this long, let alone have the heart to do such things."

Chika was beginning to panic at what Vert's decision would be on the matter. "U-Um!" Chika stuttered anxiously.

"Why the anxious stuttering, Chika?" Vert asked the Oracle.

"M-My darling Vert... You won't leave me, will you? I won't have to be all alone, ever, right?" Chika asked in fear.

Of course, this was an expected reaction, the poor girl had been running the nation alone since Vert's disappearance. When Vert came back, Chika rejoiced as her loneliness had converted to joy and happiness upon their reunion.

But now she has to depart again, to stop the Planeptune sisters, Chika's fear of losing Vert again is huge, if Vert does not return safely, the grief might cause Chika to commit suicide.

Vert walked towards Chika and gave her a motherly hug, "Rest assured, I will always remain here with you."

Hearing those words, Chika's face lit up. "O-Of course you will!" Though it was merely said to comfort the thoughts in her head.

Breaking away from the hug, Chika continued smiling and Vert changed into a serious expression. Her end goal was clear, to return to this child once everything is over.

"But to guarantee my return, I will need to get my hands on that sword..."

"And use it against the Nep sisters..."

Vert walked out of the Basilicom as she said those words.

* * *

"Welcome to Lowee's Basilicom..." a voice greets the Nep sisters upon their entry.

It was Lowee's Oracle, Mina.

"No..." She paused, "Without CPUs, this place is nothing but an empty home..."

"Yes..." Nepgear began, "Blanc, Rom, Ram..." The grief in Nepgear's voice was obvious, "I..."

"How is your heart not tearing itself to shreds right now? No remorse for killing children?" Mina questioned Nepgear trying to hide her anger.

"It hurts... It really does, but..." Nepgear tried to answer.

"But this was your only choice, hmm?" Mina shot her down, "After all, it's for the grand ideal of saving Gamindustri."

"That's..."

"I understand what needed to be done, but I could never sacrifice what it means to be human like you have," Mina said to Nepgear.

It was obvious from the start, to go down this path means forgoing one's own humanity.

"Get out, before I say something even more vile to you..."

The sisters promptly left the building, their next destination, Leanbox.

* * *

Through the grassy plains of Leanbox, they arrived at the city.

"Here we are in Leanbox," Neptune said with a solemn face.

"Right. Our last stop," Their journey to fuel this cursed sword is slowly reaching its end. "We have to find Vert, and,"

"What is this 'and'?" a voice came from around the corner, "Is there anything more you need to do beyond locating me?"

"Vert...!"

Neptune butted in, "Hey, uh, don't open with such a leading question or anything..."

"Oh, did I mishear your sister?" Vert replied to Neptune.

"Well, uh," Neptune could not argue back. Nepgear's words held a truth in them as their end goal is to kill Vert.

"Yes... That's right," Nepgear replied to Vert.

"You look unwell. Exhausted. Could it be that you're forcing yourself into this matter?" Vert's question was an odd one to ask the enemy. But Vert wore a worried look asked she posed her question.

The sisters did look exhausted, they had been moving from Planeptune to Lastation, to Lowee, in a period of days with little sleep. Possibly due to the grief of killing their previous allies.

"Huh? N-No," Nepgear replied back.

"You are too young to shoulder this burden. I will take it from here," Vert declared strongly to Nepgear and Neptune.

"No, we can't let you do that!" Neptune protested. If they die here, the deaths and dreams of those they slew that remained with them will never be accomplished.

"We share the same goal of defeating the Deity of Sin, no?" Vert asked the sisters. "Who does the deed should be irrelevant."

"But we...took five lives already..." Nepgear said in protest. "There's no way we could pass off the sword after doing that."

Vert was getting desperate, she needs that sword as much as the sisters do. "I see. Then I shall kill the two of you. That way, we would be cut from the same murderous cloth, no?" Her argument was sound if she killed the Nep sisters she would also have blood on her hands.

"We can't talk you out of it, huh?" Neptune said in resignation, Vert's mind was already set on the end goal and what it entails. There is no stopping her mind now. The only way to do so is to slay her.

"Of course not. I will not die. Rather, I do not wish to die. I have someone who needs me here." Vert states her motivations very clearly to the sisters.

Nepgear is silent. She knows the person who so desperately needs Vert, Chika. The oracle of the nation.

"But if you sisters were to die together today, at least neither of you will be forced to live with regrets," Vert states an undeniable truth. If Neptune and Nepgear fall here, they will never have to suffer the burden of running the whole of Gamindustri alone. But it isn't that easy, death will not take away the regret of killing five individuals. All of whom were their friends and allies.

"We won't let that happen! We watched as Noire and Blanc died, so we're responsible for seeing this through!" Neptune proclaimed in retaliation to Vert. The burden they carry will be greater than that of Vert's if she were to kill them.

"We'll defeat the Deity of Sin together, along with the lives of those who sacrificed themselves!" Nepgear proclaimed as well. It seems like the Nep sisters' determination to settle this is on equal footing with Vert's.

"Hmm. I suppose I should never have expected a diplomatic approach to work in this matter," Vert shoots back. "Unfortunately, I have no intention of standing down and offering my life to your cause!" After declaring her intentions, she transformed into her HDD form, ready for a fight.

"Vert," Neptune says solemnly.

"Show me the strength you've gained, and keep me from prying that cursed sword from your bloodstained grip!" Vert cries out as she charged towards the Nep sisters.

The sisters braced for impact and the blades of their weapons clashed, after a brief moment they jumped back to regain their composure before charging head on again. Swift, agile and decisive strikes were traded and parried, it was like a dance of blades but with each swing and strike carried the intent to kill. Vert being in her HDD form made the task even harder due to the strength increase.

"Heh, not bad!" Vert shouted, "But let's see how you handle this!" Vert jumped back and started charging towards the sisters. They jumped to the side to evade but Vert changed her course of attack to Neptune. This sudden change of trajectory stunned Neptune, which caused her to be hit up into the air by the shaft of Vert's spear.

"Neptune!" Nepgear shouted before charging at Vert with her sword, Vert saw this and kicked Nepgear away, sending her flying towards a nearby tree. As Neptune fell from the air, Vert positioned herself and dealt a series of jabs to Neptune, getting sent up into the air again before hitting the ground with a loud thud.

The damage dealt was substantial, both Neptune and Nepgear were covered in wounds and bruises. Vert was also hurt rather badly, but compared to the sisters, she was much cleaner. Seeing Neptune on the ground, Vert made her way to where Nepgear was. She had her sword stabbed into the ground, acting as a crutch to stand on.

"This ain't over yet!" A voice came from behind Vert. It was Neptune, still standing after receiving such punishment from Vert. Vert took note of this and couldn't help but applaud mentally despite being enemies.

"Neptune!" Nepgear cried out.

"Yeah! Let's do it!" Neptune shouted out in response to which they promptly charged towards Vert.

"Useless!" Vert flew up into the air to dodge their attack but was surprised to see them on her tail. Her pause enabled Nepgear and Neptune to catch up and land a combo hit on her, damaging her severely and sending her down towards the ground.

When the Nep sisters landed, Vert was clutching her spear on the ground in her human form, but her killing intent was still going strong.

"Tch... You've grown strong, indeed..." Vert said as she struggled to stand.

"Even though she's fighting us all by herself, Vert is so strong..." Nepgear gave out a compliment to the grounded enemy.

"Do you really wanna keep fighting?" Neptune asked, concerned about Vert's condition.

"I do not even need to answer that. I am still breathing, am I not?" Vert replied as she stood back into a fighting stance.

"Please, Vert. Please stand down..." Nepgear begged the CPU.

"Then use the sword and take my life against my will. Unless you can only stomach using it against the willing." Vert quipped back.

"That's not fair..." Nepgear looked away as she rejected Vert's offer under her own terms of fairness.

"It appears you do not have what it takes... Hand the sword over to me!" Vert said as she charged forth again.

Nepgear and Neptune have no choice but to bring Vert down if they want to have her comply with their terms. They traded blows again, but this time with slightly weaker attacks and slower movements.

After many exchanges, both parties were worn out, especially Vert who has to deal with more than one enemy.

"No... I can't... This cannot be the end..." Vert cried out in pain.

"Vert, you're crazy persistent... I can't keep fighting at this rate..." Neptune's close to her limit already.

"Vert... Please..." Nepgear begged the defeated CPU.

"I...I must...live...!" Vert cried in desperation.

"What should we do...? We're all really exhausted..." The fight drained a lot of energy from everyone and it would be best to retreat.

"Um..." Nepgear was reluctant to leave Vert there despite being enemies, it'd be better to end her now but.

"If you aren't gonna do it, Gear, then we shouldn't stick around. Let's fall back for now," IF suggested to Nepgear, she wanted to get out before more attention arrived.

"Okay... I'm so sorry," Nepgear apologised for taking up way more time than they needed to, they needed to do a job and they need to be fast.

"I...won't..." Vert said weakly, but the Nep sisters were already walking away.

"Showing mercy, are they...?" Vert looked up to see the Planeptune group's back turned towards her. "Good... I was at my limit..." Vert sighed in relief.

"Any more resistance and I...would have lost..." Vert hated to admit her loss but it was true. "If that had happened, then... No...I cannot lose..." She needs to get to someplace safe and recover, they might not be so merciful the next time round.

If there was one time Vert wished her breasts weren't as big as they were, it was now. The extra weight makes it a tad harder to get up, but Vert managed to stand and stabilise herself.

"Heh. A pretty sick show, watching you CPUs beat the crap out of each other," a voice was heard in the shrubbery nearby.

Vert looked around, swivelling her head quickly and shouted a "Who's there!?". She cannot fight now, not like this.

The possessor of the voice appeared from the shrubs, A grey hoodie covered their face. On their right hand, a beating stick was held. Vert immediately recognised the figure, ASIC's Underling.

"You..." Vert snarled at her.

"Come on now, don't scrunch up your pretty face. That isn't how you greet someone you know? Don't worry, your punishment is here," Underling taunted as she raised her beating stick and struck down on Vert.

Vert's scream of pain echoed through the forest.

* * *

"Lady Vert was so serious..." 5pb commented on the way Vert was acting during the fight.

The Planeptune group had walked a fair bit away from Vert now, they haven't looked back since they left her.

"Yeah. She's way stronger than me..." Nepgear agreed with 5pb, Vert really was serious about defeating them and taking the sword.

"Again with the self-doubt... Stop talking like that already," IF sighed, Nepgear's constant talking down on herself was getting to her.

"Th-That wasn't what I meant!" Nepgear anxiously replied IF. "I was just..."

"There's no end in sight, even if we keep going, nyu," Broccoli chimed in.

"If we take too long, the Deity of Sin will be revived..." Compa said.

Compa was right, if they dillydally, the Deity of Sin will be completely revived and might be impossible to stop. Everyone grew silent as they faced this fact.

A few seconds later, the silence was broken by the sound of a scream.

"Huh?" Neptune stopped in her tracks.

"What...?" 5pb had stopped walking too.

"What's up?" Red who was a few feet ahead of them, turned around and asked in confusion.

"I thought I heard Lady Vert..." 5pb responded.

"Yeah. She was screaming, wasn't she?" Neptune agreed with the singer.

"You're imagining it," IF, standing ten feet away, turned around and replied Neptune skeptically.

"No way. That was definitely her voice. I think, maybe," Neptune replied IF and yet she herself was unsure.

"Vert was incredibly worn down. If someone attacked her in that state then..." Nepgear spoke with increased worry.

"Vert!" Neptune shouted as she turned heel and ran back towards the clearing with the rest following behind.

Vert could be saved.

* * *

"Yeah... I did it...! I finally beat down a CPU!" Underling celebrated at her 'victory' over a weakened CPU.

Vert groaned in pain on the dirt, she looked even weaker now than before. Her green dress now sullied by the dirt and tears made by multiple beatings.

"What, still breathing? You aren't gonna make my job any easier, are you?" Underling said haughtyly as she kicked Vert and kneeled down.

"Looking at such a pathetic face makes it pretty hard for me to deal the finishing blow, y'know," she said as she poked Vert's face with their beating stick.

Vert's face strained more as she struggled to keep herseld alive. "I can't...die like...this..."

Neptune arrived at the clearing first and spotted Vert lying on the ground.

"Vert!"

The rest soon came into the clearing and saw both Underling and Vert.

"What're you doing here, Underling!?" IF shouted at the crouched fiend.

Underling stood up and turned around to face the group. "You broads are a little late... This CPU's well on her way to choking out her last breath."

Her complete disregard of her actions and the underhandedness of her approach was disgusting.

"No.. Lady Vert!" 5pb ran over to Vert who was on the ground.

"You know, despite all the crap you pulled on us, you still managed to seem innocuous enough...until now," IF glared at Underling.

"Shut the hell up! You were trying to kill her, too!" Underling shouted.

"But...!" Nepgear stepped forward to voice her argument but was interrupted by Underling.

"Hell, I went ahead and made it easier for you. I'm offended that you haven't thanked me yet."

"I don't think I've ever been so seriously pissed off before. You'll never get away with this!" Neptune shouted at Underling.

"Whatever, you psychotic drama queen. I know you're all tired, too," Underling taunted the group. "Haha... Today's the day I make you pay for all the crap you put me through!"

* * *

Underling was bested once again in battle by the group.

"Damn, I gotta get outta-"

"Yaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Before Underling could make her getaway, Nepgear struck down on Underling with the cursed sword.

"Aaaagh! What...?" Underling looked out in shock as the sword sliced through her flesh and poked through her gut.

"Hey, what...the hell...is this? Why're you stabbing me...?"

Blood trickled down the blade before dropping down onto the dirt.

"A joke? A...dream...? I...can't die...like this..."

Those were Underling's last words before her body went limp and dropped to the floor.

Nepgear panted, she was still not accustomed to killing people, CPU or otherwise. "I should've done that ages ago."

"Ge-Ge..." Compa came up behind Nepgear and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Meanwhile, Neptune rushed towards Vert's side.

"Vert! Hang in there!" Neptune cried out.

Vert weakly opened her eyes and looked at Neptune. "Neptune? H-Hmhmm... How unlike me, to be bested by such a...lowly...urrghh..." She groaned.

"No more talking, okay? We'll patch you right up," Neptune held Vert in her arms, tears formed at the sides of her eyes.

"That...will not be necessary... Is it not strange... to give aid...to someone you intend to kill...?" Vert weakly told Neptune.

"Screw that! Let us help you!" Neptune was now hanging on the emotional edge, she wanted to help Vert.

"You are so very odd... Regardless, I...cannot be saved..." Vert said as she looked up into the blue sky, her vision was slowly fading.

"Don't give up so easily!" Neptune said as she began to cry. Vert's face was now giving a relaxed smile with her eyes closed.

"If I may make a request... End my life, and use that sword to do it, would you...?" Vert asked.

Everyone became shocked as they heard those words exit out her mouth, the strong, independant, mature Vert who earlier did not wish to die, was now calling to be put down and laid to rest.

"Vert..." Neptune looked at her downed friend with teary eyes.

"I do hate to die without purpose... Please, Neptune."

Neptune looked at Nepgear and motioned for Neogear to pass her the sword.

"Nepgear, I've got this."

"Okay..." Nepgear said as she reluctantly passed Neptune the sword.

"Thank you..." Vert thanked Neptune before she thrusted the sword through Vert's body.

"And please... Please help Chika... She is still such a needy child..."

"Yeah, we promise. Rest in peace, Vert..." Neptune said solemnly as Vert disappeared and left the mortal plane.

* * *

Arriving at Leanbox's Basilicom, the group arrived to a stern faced Chika.

"Chika..." Nepgear called out to her.

"What are you doing here?" Chika replied sternly.

"Vert's last request was that we do all we can to help you..." Nepgear told of Vert's wishes.

"Her...last request...?" Chika repeated those words stupefied.

"You dare say that to my face!? And who was it who forced my darling Vert to make that last request!?" Chika shouted with anger towards the group.

Nepgear apologised but it was useless.

"Oh, lovely. An apology. At least you are aware of the malicious crime you've committed!" Chika was really angry, but her voice gave signs of her mental health being broken.

"If you're truly sorry, then give her back! Return Vert to me, now!" Her voice was desperate now.

"I...I'm sorry..." Nepgear apologised again.

"The wait was painful, but I could bear it, knowing that someday, she would return to me..." Chika's mental state was breaking apart and close to it's last already. "But now... There's no possible way for her to return from this!"

Nepgear could only keep silent after that outburst.

"Give her back! Give Vert back to me!"Chika was crying and screaming now, the last of her mental state has been lost in grief.

There is nothing that can be done now.

* * *

The group returned to Planeptune, not once looking back and not once forgetting those who were lost.

"So it is done. The other CPUs have all been dealt with. I cannot say I know how you feel, but..." Histoire lamented.

"Nah, don't worry about me. Nepgear's the one who's really suffering." Neptune casually passed off Histoire.

"Where is she?" Histoire asked.

"She said she wasn't feeling good, so she went to her room," Compa replied Histoire.

"It is to be expected, I suppose. i cannot even begin to fathom what she's going through right now."

"Yeah, but she needs to get over it. If she can stop the Deity of Sin, then she'll know she was right," IF harshly spoke of the grief Nepgear is currently facing. "Even if my saying that makes me a pretty horrible person."

"So, uh... There's just one more thing to do now, huh?" Neptune suddenly spoke in a solemn tone.

"What? Did we forget something?" Red asked, confused as to what is left to be done.

"Yeah. I guess it's about that time..." Neptune sighed.

She knows her end is near as in order to power the sword fully, she must be the next and last sacrifice. After that, it's all up to Nepgear.

* * *

 _ **Well, damn. I took way too long to finish this, it'll probably take even longer to write out the end given the amount of procrastination I've done offline. I really need to finish this before I go do other things I have planned. God bloody damn it.**_


	5. The Final Battle to a New Era

Now, a choice remains, either her sister or herself has to die next to power the sword fully.

"Just me...and Neptune..."

Nepgear was in her room, thinking, wondering, mourning. Now she faces her hardest decision yet, to kill or choose to be killed?

But, if either of them dies they have to face the Deity of Sin alone, the only thing they have left will be their human friends.

"Noire... Blanc... Vert... Uni... Rom... Ram..."

The six that have died as sacrifices to save Gamindustri, the seventh will be there soon. Only the last one standing can be the one to bring their wishes and dreams of a safe Gamindustri to reality.

"Was this really my only choice? When did I start to walk down this path...?"

Regret creeps up on Nepgear, maybe there could've been another way, a means of defeating the Deity of Sin without killing anyone, without any sacrifices.

"No. I need to snap out of it. I'm sure IF would scold me if she saw me like this..."

Nepgear in her dire state tries to pep herself up.

"I can't let everyone's lives go to waste. We have to win."

Nepgear has found determination! It has reached 200% determination.

"Hey, Nep Jr.? You around?"

Neptune called out to her sister as she came into her room, it was time.

"Oh, Neptune. Yes, I'm here..." Nepgear replied her sister.

"How're you feeling? You're looking pretty glum," Neptune asked her sister. Even at a time like this, she still cares for her little sister.

"N-No. Look, I'm fine. See!? I can smile and everything..." Nepgear stuttered.

Neptune looked at her sister skeptically. "Yeah, sure... Hey, you wanna go for a stroll?"

"A stroll? I'm sorry, but I'm not in the mood..." Nepgear replied.

"Aww, don't be a lazybones. Staying inside won't brighten your day or whatever!" Neptune said as she tugged Nepgear's shirt.

"Neptune, please stop tugging on my shirt..." Nepgear told her sister.

* * *

They left the Basilicom and went on a stroll,Nepgear still holding the cursed sword on herself. Soon they arrived in a forest where memories of old resurfaced.

"Ahh, this brings back memories. Remember this spot? We played here a bunch when we were tykes," Neptune reminisced.

"Did we? I don't remember... I guess I was really young," Nepgear replied.

"Yeah... You were still in your pink-striped diapers."

"Uh-huh..." Nepgear replied her sister, still unsure why they're here and what for.

Silence fell between the two of them.

"Sure is quiet out here," Neptune commented on the silence.

"Yep..." Nepgear agreed.

"Uh... So..." Neptune began to speak, attempting to break the awkward silence.

"Neptune... If this is all you wanted to show me, I think I'd better head back," Nepgear said to her sister, she sees no further value in standing here in the quiet with nothing to talk about.

"Wait, wait, wait! I have something super important and plot-advancing to say to you," Neptune pulls her sister back, the plan was already set in stone. It was now her time to go.

"Okay... What is it?"

"Now, don't be too shocked when I tell you. Maybe you should sit down," Neptune gestured her sister to take a seat but was refused.

"I'll be okay."

"Cool, cool... All right..." Neptune breathed a deep breath before continuing. "So how's about you give your ol' sis the stabby-stabbu with the sword?"

"...What?" Nepgear was taken aback, her sister asking to be killed?

"Oh, you really weren't that shocked. That's good. So let's get on with the stabbing, okay?" Neptune cheerily told Nepgear.

Nepgear's eyes opened wide, the shock was written across her face in bold, "B-But, I am shocked! It...it took my breath away, and I couldn't say anything else..."

Nepgear paused for a bit before continuing on, "I mean, why the goodness do we have to do that!?"

Her shock was understandable if a family member asked you to kill them, of course, one would be shocked as to why would they ask such a thing.

"If you wanna max out the stats on that sword, you need eeeevery CPU's power? And I'm a CPU, right?" Neptune explained her reason to her sister.

Nepgear shook her head in rejection, "No! W-We have enough! That's why we decided to go and fight together, and..." Nepgear was cut off by Neptune who continued to explain.

"Yeah, but it'd be a real downer if it was just a teeny bit too weak. Let's give it all we got and stuff!"

Nepgear looked away and mumbled, "Well, if you put it that way..." before shaking her head and facing her sister again. "I-I mean, no! Why does it have to be you!?"

"If that's your reasoning, then let me..." Once again, Nepgear was cut off.

"Yeeeeah, I thought about that, but it wouldn't really work," Neptune explained further.

"Why!?" Nepgear asked with ever increasing worry.

"Uh, hmm... So like, when the Shares for Planeptune were gathered... You're the one who collected them," Neptune began. "Meaning you've got more Shares than me. And that means you've got a better chance of winning."

"Even so, you're still much stronger than I am!" Nepgear started sniffling.

"Nah. You're one tough chickadee. I'd happily stamp my Neptune Seal of Quality on your forehead," Neptune said as she shook her head.

"But... But there's no way... How could I ever kill you?"

"You gotta find a way, I guess," Neptune consoled her sister who was now sobbing, "C'mon, time's a-wastin'."

"No... I can't do it..." Nepgear was crying now, she can't possibly kill her sister.

Hearing this, Neptune looked at Nepgear sternly and shouted, "It's time to grow up, Nepgear!"

Nepgear opened her eyes, wet from the tears, and gave Neptune a "Huh!?"

"Why do you think we went around and took everyone's lives? It's all to save Gamindustri, isn't it?" Neptune shouted sternly at Nepgear.

"Y-Yeah, but..."

"We told them we'd beat up the Deity of Sin in their place, didn't we? So we gotta do it right," Neptune told Nepgear who's sniffling.

Neptune sighed, "Please, sis. Do it for me. I wanna save Gamindustri, too," Neptune calmly said. "And this is about all I can do to help you at this point."

Nepgear looked at her sister who also was starting to tear up, "Neptune..."

"Don't sweat it. I didn't lie. I always will be with you... Just, like, inside that sword," Neptune said as she held her tears back.

"Okay... Okay, okay..."

"Awesome. I knew you'd see it my way!" Neptune smiled as Nepgear began to see how it works.

"Yeah... Are you...uh...ready?" Nepgear reluctantly asked Neptune.

"Sure. It'll probably sting like the dickens, but no worse than a wasp sting or something," Neptune joked.

Nepgear let out a sniffle as she shouted and thrusts the sword through her sister.

"Yeeeeeouch! Woah, yeah... Way worse than a wasp sting..." Neptune winced at the pain.

"Neptune...!" Nepgear cried out. Blood was staining the cloth of Neptune's parka as blood dribbled from her mouth and nose.

"Okay, time for me to hit the ol' dusty trail, Nep Jr... Let's win...together!" Neptune shouted cheerfully as she evaporated into nothingness.

The final sacrifice has been obtained.

"She vanished..." Nepgear stood there, looking at where her once beloved sister stood. She couldn't hold back her tears as they flowed down her cheeks.

"It's...funny, really..." She said as she stood crying, "I was trying to save Neptune this whole time, but I had to kill her in the end..." She cried a bit more before shouting out her sister's name in agony.

Seemingly out of nowhere, Histoire appeared. " As I thought."

Nepgear looked at the Oracle with red teary eyes, "Histoire..." she paused. "I...I had to take my sister's life with my own two hands..."

Histoire could only look at Nepgear solemnly and calmly said, "Neptune informed me of her plan before taking you out for a walk. Do not force yourself to explain."

Nepgear sobbed as she called out to Histoire to cry. Her wails of anguish echoed through the forest as she collapsed onto the ground, crying at the events that have unfolded.

With that final kill, the Gehaburn has been awakened and obtained. The sword to defeat the Deity of Sin lies within it the hopes and dreams of seven others who perished by its blade. Tomorrow, they make their way to the Gamindustri Graveyard to finish this.

* * *

The group arrived at the Gamindustri Graveyard, the ominous red sky with pieces of broken and failed machinery buried in the ground gave the place a dangerous feel. This is their final destination.

"Here we are, nyu," Broccoli announced their arrival.

"We made it here before the Deity of Sin revived fully," Compa said happily, they couldn't have arrived any later. Facing off against a foe that is at full power could be a recipe for failure.

"It's...all her fault..." 5pb. said annoyed, "This all happened because of her..."

"Um, so does anyone else feel like there aren't a lot of us left? It's pretty sad," Red commented on the lack of numbers within the group.

Nepgear remained silent at that comment, it's true that there used to be more people in the party. But now, only one of that special group remained.

"Hey! Watch your mouth, dammit!" IF chided Red for her comment, the mental scars in Nepgear's mind still have not healed and won't be healing anytime soon.

"Ge-Ge...?" Compa called out to Nepgear who looked rather stoned.

"I'm okay," she assured Compa, "Let's finish this."

The party walked on and arrived in an empty field, save for the monstrosity standing in the middle menacingly. A hulking mass of yellow, purple and red with two pairs of arms and legs. At center, a giant mouth with a pale-skinned humanoid figure above and wings protruding out the sides of its head. Right at the heart of this beast, a large glowing eye.

The group slowly approached the mass, silently looking on with its eye as it perturbed the group.

"The Deity of Sin...Arfoire," Nepgear spoke its name.

"Is she asleep?" Compa asked, confused as to why she hasn't made a move on the party yet.

The Deity of Sin stands there menacingly, not making a sound or moving.

"Sneak attack, nyu! Don't waste this chance!" Broccoli said.

"Ehhh, it's kind of a lame way to approach the final boss," Red replied Broccoli.

"It's her own fault for being asleep. We have to use every opportunity available to us," IF said while looking for openings.

"Oh..." 5pb. suddenly said, "I think she's awake, actually..."

Sure enough, the Deity of Sin moved a small bit before talking in a deep voice. "A CPU is it...?"

"Yes. I've come to defeat you," Nepgear said with caution and determination.

"An exercise in futility," the Deity said, "Do you truly believe a sole CPU has the power to stop me?"

"Yes. I will win!" Nepgear proclaimed, "I MUST win, for all my friends who sacrificed their lives!"

The Deity of Sin remained motionless, "Even if you are here alone, I will show no mercy in crushing you. Come...tremble before my might..." she beckoned."Despite having an incomplete vessel, I hold more than enough strength to stamp out your life!"

"Despite having an incomplete vessel, I hold more than enough strength to stamp out your life!" She roared as she got ready to brawl.

Nepgear's group scattered around the Deity of Sin, this is going to be a circle of attacks coming from different angles and different frequencies so she does not know who to target, and given the law of inertia, this method of attack would make it hard for her to turn around even on four legs. The group began attacking with slashes, stabs, kicks, punches, magic and the gear they have at their disposal, they all made sure to be within healing range so if anyone got hurt badly, they could support by using healing items. The Deity of Sin countered back with hard hitting attacks but was weakened swiftly by the group with their numbers.

"You have earned my praise," the Deity of Sin complimented the group, they did rather well against a foe like her, "But praise is by no means your victory."

"After all we've done, it doesn't look like we're even fazing her..." 5pb. said sullenly, their attacks weren't able to fully damage her at all.

"Nepgear, use the sword!" IF shouted towards Nepgear.

"All right!" Nepgear shouted back in response to the order and unsheathed the Gehaburn.

Arfoire looked at the sword and mumbled, "That...sword..."

"This blade will put an end to your wicked scheme!" Nepgear proclaimed to the Deity.

"Heh, heh, heh... Hahahahahaha!" the Deity laughed as she connected the dots as to why there was a single CPU and the appearance of the Gehaburn.

"I see. So you have forged that blade using the blood of the other CPUs..."

"As if that matters to you!" Nepgear said angrily.

"You killed them all. Your friends. Your family. You are all alone in the world," Arfoire said menacingly.

"Yes, that's right! Everyone is gone, except for me! That's precisely why I can't lose!" Nepgear angrily admitted.

"Fascinating. Such an amusing world. Come, show me how strong a sword bathed in the CPUs' blood is..." Arfoire taunted.

"Gladly! Haaaaaaaaaah!" Nepgear shouted as she stabbed Arfoire who took the hit.

"Huh...?" Nepgear looked at Arfoire with a confused look on her face, "You...didn't even try to dodge..."

"Wonderful. The power you have put into the sword is enough to end even my life. Victory is yours, CPU," Arfoire congratulated Nepgear.

Nepgear looked on still confused, "H-Huh? But...why? Why didn't you resist me?" Nepgear asked.

"There is no longer a need for me to remain here and destroy this world," Arfoire told Nepgear matter-of-factly. "For you see, the world is already spiraling toward oblivion..."

"No, it isn't! This world will be safe as long as you aren't in it!" Nepgear argued.

"Of course. The world under the rule of a single entity will surely brim with peace and prosperity..." Arfoire said, "Indeed, the world without strife... The world that knows only peace..."

"And what's wrong with that!? is there something wrong with a peaceful world!?" Nepgear was getting angry now, what is with this talk?

"Without strife, without conflict, without competition... Nothing will advance. Nothing will evolve. The people will become complacent and live their lives in peace... The world will stagnate and rot..." Arfoire explained.

Nepgear shakes her head violently in disagreement, "I won't let that happen! As long as I'm the CPU of Gamindustri, it won't happen!" Nepgear barked back.

"The CPU of Gamindustri, hmm?" Arfoire looked at Nepgear questioningly, "What of a hundred years or a thousand years from now?" Then she chuckled, "Hahaha... I am limited by neither time nor a physical form. I can wait until this world rots away..." before finally disappearing into dust.

5pb. looked wide-eyed at the spot where Arfoire once stood and muttered, "She's disappeared..."

Red looked ecstatic and started bouncing around and celebrating, "Hey, we did it! We won! We beat the baddie and saved the world, right!?"

"What a relief. Nep-Nep and the other CPUs can rest in peace now," Compa delightfully said with a beaming smile of relief.

Nepgear stood by the side, silently mulling over the words of Arfoire. "Her words hold some ground and I did say that would never happen. But am I up to the task? How am I going to unite the entire continent and have the people support me as their sole CPU now? Will Arfoire's words be true and things will fall in the way she described it? What if a rebellion comes up?" Nepgear's head filled with questions on top of questions as she continued mulling over them.

Broccoli came up to Nepgear and tugged her shirt, "Are the Deity of Sin's words bugging you, nyu?" Broccoli asked.

"U-Um, no... They aren't, but..." Nepgear lied, one does not simply understand the woes of being the sole CPU of a continent and having such profound words being said towards her.

IF came up and patted Nepgear's back, "She was trying to mess with your resolve, Gear. Let's go. We have to let the world know what happened," IF said to Nepgear with a smile. They have just done a great service to the whole of Gamindustri and it was time to let the people know.

Seeing this, Nepgear smiled back and agreed unanimously but Arfoire's words still plagued her mind.

* * *

Ten days have gone by since the defeat of Arfoire by the hands of Nepgear and co. Today is the day where Nepgear becomes the sole ruler of Gamindustri and succeeds the CPUs of days gone. Old rules and regulations may have to be changed but she's pretty sure the people will get used to it.

Histoire knocks on Nepgear's door and comes in after Nepgear grants it. The Oracle floats in and asks, "Nepgear, are you ready?"

Nepgear nodded, "Yes. I am."*

Histoire sighed, "Had I the choice, I would have allowed you to rest for longer..."

Nepgear shook her head, "It's all right, I have enough rest. I understand that there isn't time, given that both the CPUs and the Deity of Sin are gone, the world is in chaos. Now it's all up to me to create a new world order."

"Right. Until the people know that you're here watching over them, there's no way to control them," Kei said as she stepped through Nepgear's door.

Nepgear looked at Kei with a smile, "You actually came, Kei?" She asked the former Lastation Oracle.

"The nation I worked for is no more. Had I not come, your commemoration would lack any sense of flair, no?" Kei said nonchalantly.

Histoire looked at Kei and asked, "And the other Oracles?"

Kei sighed and casually said, "Lowee's Oracle asked for more time. However, Leanbox's Oracle seemed delusional and denied everything that has occurred."

Nepgear looked saddened at that and only managed to let out an "I see...". She was quite sad that the other two didn't make it, but the more worrying of the two was Chika, Leanbox's Oracle.

"Still, they know the truth, but the public doesn't. That ignorance will help them to embrace you right away," Kei jokingly said, but who knows if she was serious or it's joke.

"But from your perspective, I suppose you will have to live with knowing that you're deceiving your people," Kei finished off with a sly smug look.

Histoire, witnessing this, sternly shouted at Kei, "Mind your tongue!"

But Nepgear shook Histoire off, "No, she's right. Kei... Thank you for coming all this way to attend."

"As a mediator between you and the public, I look forward to seeing the world you intend to create," Kei said as she turned around and left.

Nepgear and Histoire both looked at each other before nodding and swiftly leaving the room.

* * *

In the land known as Gamindustri, once divided into four, now united as one under the flag of Planeptune. The sole CPU of this giant landmass, Nepgear, is the one to lead, restore, and repel rebellion. In the lost nations of the past, there are still people waiting for their goddess to return home. But alas, it is not possible. So Nepgear has to go out and reunite these people who have been staying in a once thriving nation.

As Nepgear was preparing for her stand to face the world, a few friends came by to say a final hello and goodbye.

"Oh, there you are. Glad we made it in time," IF said as she waved at Nepgear with Compa tagging along by her side.

"IF, both you and Compa came?" Nepgear asked happily, the two friends who have supported her throughout her adventure has come to see her off.

"Yep, yep. There's no telling when we'll see you again, so we had to make it!" Compa said so with a smile on her face.

"Then...you're both leaving me?" Nepgear asked the two sadly.

"I haven't been a very good nurse lately, so I need to get back to the hospital and do some work!" Compa said with determination shining in her eyes.

"Red, Broccoli, and 5pb. have all gone home and we'd rather not overstay our welcome," IF Said with a slight remorse.

"I guess that makes sense..." Nepgear muddled, "I'm really going to miss you."

"Come on, stop pouting already," IF nagged Nepgear at her unsightly behaviour.

Compa nodded at IF's comment. "Uh-huh, time to grow up! You're a full-fledged CPU now. It's not like we'll never see each other again!" Compa optimistically said.

"Yeah, you're right... Sorry for worrying you both..." Nepgear said apologetically.

"Okay, I'm outta here. Do your best, all right?" IF said as both her and Compa slowly departed.

"There they go... Now I'm really all alone..." Nepgear lamented at her friends' departure, she's going to have to get over the loneliness during her reign as the sole CPU of this continent.

* * *

The people of Gamindustri still face a multitude of problems that needs to be addressed. First of all, the disappearance of the CPUs soon after they returned from being missing in action. Secondly, the fact as to why the former CPUs nations have gone bust. And finally, the minority that has been complaining about the dissolution of the ASIC.

 _"Of course. The world under the rule of a single entity will surely brim with peace and prosperity..."  
"Indeed, in a world without strife and only knows that of peace..."_

The words of the Deity of Sin came to Nepgear's mind, she has a mission to protect the peace of Gamindustri and she has to do it solo. This is the lonesome road that she chose to walk. The words of the Deity of Sin still linger in the depths of Nepgear's mind.

 _"Without strife, conflict, and competition... Nothing will advance and nothing will evolve."  
"The people will become complacent and live their lives in peace... The world will stagnate and rot..."_

"I absolutely will not let that happen. I swear on my life," Nepgear told herself in response to the words in her head.

But still she wondered if the Deity of Sin really spoke of the truth? That the world will erode and eventually cease to exist and function? She wondered still if the path she chose for herself is the right one. These thoughts, the doubts forming in her head, slowly they dominate Nepgear's every waking thought and dictate her every action.

Soon, her reign will invoke rebellion, calls for revolution. When that time comes, the world will know no peace. Planeptune's shares might drop to unfathomable levels, causing Nepgear to grow weak and die. Soon after her death, a new wave of people with a new policy and governing rules will come to attain power. The whole of Gamindustri might never know peace from then on.

* * *

 **Legend - * (** **watch?v=JXj0qn0DBdQ)**


	6. Extra: Epilogue

A millennium has passed by since the start of Nepgear's rule. In the first period of a hundred years, Planeptune has grown not only in size and population numbers but also in the faith of Nepgear, Planeptune's goddess, who travelled to different parts of the continent to gather the people under the banner of Planeptune. In the next hundred year period, the city has expanded to where two great nations once stood, Lastation and Leanbox, where the land got converted into an industrial park and farmland respectively after ridding the land of dangerous monsters who threatened the safety of the people.

To the North laid where Lowee once stood, which had turned into a ski resort for the people's enjoyment and use. Over this period of three hundred years, the land once owned by Lastation, Leanbox, and Lowee have all been reclaimed by Planeptune. And for the next three centuries, the people lived in relative peace with minor problems springing up here and there. Planeptune's Shares were at an all time high at ninety percent since Nepgear took charge.

A century later, trouble started brewing. A few people grew unhappy with the way the consoles coming out were just clones of the previous ones except with minor tweaks to performance. The research and development sector of Planeptune began working to develop a better console in response to this outcry but without competition in consoles, they could not advance nor evolve the system. Soon it grew to become riots and guards were sent to control it. The Shares of Planeptune slowly dropped but was still able to be kept afloat by the efforts of Histoire and Nepgear. But their hard work was useless as the shares decreased at a faster rate than which they can replenish.

The shares continued to plummet, and soon Nepgear became bedridden. She was able to move her limbs, though, but in a few days, they stopped working too. While in this state, Nepgear thought to herself about the words of the Deity of Sin and how she responded to them, she had 100% hope then after coming out of 100% despair. Now she's back to 100% despair, wondering what she could've done better to prevent this and what she'd done wrong to deserve this. In about 50 years since the riots began, a public service announcement made by Histoire came up to air.

"Attention all citizens, I regret to inform you that our resident goddess, Nepgear, has passed away due to the lack of Shares. A state funeral will be held at the main Planeptune Basilicom, anyone interested to pay your respects to our recently departed goddess, please report to the Basilicom in nine days. That is all," Histoire's voice echoed throughout the continent.

The day of Nepgear's state funeral arrived, people from all over the continent came to pay their respects, despite the problems they faced, she was the one who the people gave their faith to protect them. For the next five decades, Histoire worked as hard as she tried to keep things under control but was still unsuccessful as the people created their own government and overthrew the current one by the eighth-century post new era.

For the next two decades, the city once known as Planeptune has been renamed to PRG which was short for the People's Republic of Gamindustri. The people changed the laws and added new ones, created prisons for criminals, revamped the industries, improved farming technology, created automobiles, roads, public transport, etc. They still kept Histoire as she is an important reminder of the Old Era and before the Human Revolution came along, she also recorded the transition of the land which can be used as a reference for history books.

In the millennium that passed since the crowning of Nepgear as the sole ruler of Gamindustri, many events have occurred and each has changed the world in a new and completely different way, now Gamindustri lives by the people and their rules. Now another era has begun, the era where humans dictate where it goes and where it all ends.

* * *

 _ **This has been a long journey to complete this little idea I had while playing through the Conquest End of Re;Birth 2, no one has really done something like this but now there's me and this stupid rendition of the Conquest End. Time to move on to other things and more ideas. If you can spot some references to internet cultures I say well done. But if those references make you cringe then sorry about that.**_


End file.
